Almost Sisters
by Maetro
Summary: Charlotte and Stacey drift apart as they get older but their lives bring them back together several years later. 8th and final chapter posted her 02/02/10
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimers:**I don't own any of the characters. They belong to Ann. M. Martin and Scholastic and whoever else owns the rights to them. I'm not making any profit off them. This is all just in fun.

**Chapter 1**

"Hurry up, Charlotte, you're going to be late," my mother called from downstairs.  
Translation, Hurry up Charlotte, your father and and I are going to be late. They were the ones with the plane to catch, after all. They were flying to Chicago for a medical conference. My mother, who is a doctor, was giving a speech and my father had decided to go along. They were going to take a couple of extra days out there and make a long weekend out of it.

I had begged them to let me go along. I'd barely ever been outside of Stoneybrook and Chicago sounded really cool. But they'd said no, citing school as the reason. Even though I was an A student and a couple of days wouldn't make a difference.

I think they just wanted to be alone. Which, I guess I understand. They're both pretty busy with their jobs and don't get to spend a lot of time alone together.

It just sucks being left behind.

"Charlotte!"

This time it was my dad calling.

With a sigh I grabbed my overnight bag and my backpack and headed downstairs. My Mom was standing by the open door, waiting for me while my Dad loaded their bags into the car.

"Ready, honey?" she asked.

I shrugged.

"Come on, Charlotte. It's just for a couple of days. I know that you're resposible and I trust you. I just don't feel comfortable leaving you alone for the this long."

Again, I shrugged.

In truth, I wouldn't have wanted to stay alone for four days anway. Being alone in the house at night would have freaked me out. I just thought that they would have let me stay at Becca's. Or Hayley's. Or with Vanessa. (The Pikes certainly wouldn't notice another kid running around)

But no. They have decided to send me to stay with the McGill's for the weekend.

I'm 16 years old and they're sending me to a babysitters.

"Besides, you love staying with Stacey and her mother."

I glanced over at my mom and saw that she was completely serious.

She would have been right a couple of years ago. When I was in elementary and middle school I jumped at any opportunity to spend time with Stacey. I loved it when my parents went away and I got to stay at her house.

But that was years ago. I hadn't stayed over there since I was thirteen. I hadn't even seen Stacey in two years. She was at NYU, studying buisness. We'd kept in touch for awhile after she'd graduated from SHS but slowly we had lost touch. I had no idea what she was up to now.

Nor did I have any idea how my mother and Mrs. McGill came up with this arrangement. I didn't think the two of them even spoke anymore.

"You didn't like, call her and ask her if I could stay with them, did you?" I asked as we climbed into the car. I wasn't sure I wanted to know the answer. If that were the case, I might just be too embarrased to face either of them this weekend.

"What? No. I ran into Marueen in town this week. She suggested it when she found out I was going away."

I sat back, feeling a little bit better. But not much.

Stoneybrook is a small town and it only took a couple of minutes to get from our house to the McGill's. I could have walked it easily but I think my parents wanted to make sure I actually went. And it was on their way out of town to the airport.

When our car pulled up into the driveway, the front door swung open and two familiar blond women stepped out onto the front porch. My mother climbed out of the car and greeted Marueen with a hug. I followed suit much more slowly, dragging my bags out with me before walking around the car to stand beside my mother.

"Hello, Charlotte," Marueen said, offering a warm smile and giving me a quick hug.

I hugged her back, murmuring a quiet hello into her shoulder before I was released and the two adults stepped away, talking quietly amongst themselves. My dad joined them after a moment and I was left to turn my attention to the other woman who had come out of the house.

Stacey McGill was standing at the edge of the driveway, looking beatiful and put together as always. She wore dark jeans and a black t-shirt with silver jewelry. All of it probably designer, and expensive. Her long blond hair was loose and wavy, looking natural but probably the product of quite a bit or work.

Our eyes met then and she offered me a smile. "Hey, Char."

I stepped closer, drawn to her even after all this time. "Stace."

We stood about a foot apart, staring at each other, neither of us knowing quite what to say.

It was awkward. And painful. We'd been so close once. Almost sisters. I almost laughed as the expression popped into my head. That had been a long time ago.

My parents interrupted the moment then. They were done talking with Marueen and came over to me to say goodbye. I hugged them both, telling them to have fun and that I loved them. They told me they loved me too and to be good. A few minutes later, they were backing out of the driveway and I turned once again to face Stacey.

"Need a hand with your bags?" she asked.

I didn't, really but shrugged anyway. "Sure."

She scooped up my duffle bag and slung it over her shoulder while I grabbed up my backpack.

"It's good to see you again," she said softly as we made our way towards the house.

I glanced over and caught her smiling at me. I couldn't help but smile back.

"You too."

You know what to do.


	2. Chapter 2

metamorphstorm, story-geek, Jane Poirot , thanks for reading, and for your comments. I really, truly appreciate them.

**Disclaimers:** I don't own these characters. They belong to Ann M. Martin and Scholastic and whoever else owns rights. I'm not trying to claim anything nor am I profitting from their use. I'm just having a little fun playing with them.

**Chapter 2**

I followed Stacey and her mother into the house that was both familiar and foreign to me. This place had been like a second home to me for many years. Whenever my parents went out of town, which was often due to my mothers medical conferences and my fathers buisness trips, I would stay here. I knew my way around the kitchen and the cold cellar in the basement. I could walk the hallway from the guest bedroom to the bathroom and back in the dark without bumping into anything. I knew there was a loose floorboard just inside the doorway of the living room and that the back door caught on the tiles because the floor was uneven. But it had been so long since I had been here that it felt like I was entering someplace new.

The house looked the same and yet, different. The furniture was the same, but many of the knicknacks were new. The walls of the living room and hallway were still the same shade but there were pictures up that hadn't been there before. Small changes had been made that made the house not quite the one I remembered.

Marueen headed into the kitchen while Stacey and I headed down the hallway to where the bedrooms were located.

"We re-did the guest bedroom a couple of years ago. It's half office now," Stacey told me just before opening the door. Maybe she could sense how strange this situation was for me and was giving me a bit of warning. It was a nice gesture. It would have been weird walking into the room three years later and having it look exactly the same as it had the last time I'd stayed over but at the same time it would have been a shock to walk into the room completely unprepared for the changes.

The door swung open and I got a gllimpse of the room. There was still a bed tucked into the corner by the window but was a daybed, made up like a couch with the pillows lining the wall along it's length rather than resting at the head. And the dresser that had always been on the opposite wall was still there but there was also a small computer desk and a file cabinet.

"It looks nice," I said, dropping my bag at the foot of the bed.

"Yeah. Mom needed a space to do paperwork and stuff for the store. It was also supposed to be a study space for me but I still prefer to study in my room."

"On your stomach, on your bed?" I added and she laughed.

"Yep."

"Me too."

We shared a smile at the memory. How many nights had we done our homework together while she babysat me, here or at my house, the two of us stretched out on the bed, books and papers strewn around us? My mom had been a little upset at first, when I brought that habit home with me. She preferred me to do my homework at the kitchen table. But after awhile she'd seen that my grades hadn't suffered (In fact my math and science marks had gone up) and had relented.

She dropped the bag she was carrying next to the one on the bed.

"Are you hungry? Mom's making spaghetti."

I had planned on skipping out on dinner. If they hadn't eaten yet I was going to lie and say I had and also that I had a ton of homework I should get started on. It seemed like a good way to avoid the awkward small talk that we would be forced into as we ate. But now that I was here and Stacey was staring at me questioningly, maybe even hopefully, I was suddenly curious about her life and filled with the desire to try and reconnect. Even if just for a couple of days.

"Starving, actually," I said honestly.

"Good. C'mon."

I followed her down the hallway and into the kitchen where Maureen was stirring a pot at the stove.

"Anything I can do to help?" I asked.

Maureen glanced over her shoulder and started to answer. She got as far as "No, hon. You're a guest." When Stacey interrupted with a yes, that I should help her make a salad.

"Stacey." There was a warning note in Maureen's tone. Stacey looked like she was going to fire something back.

"It's fine. I asked, didn't I?" I interrupted before either of them could say anything else.

I used to always help cook when I stayed over. I didn't see why it should be any different now.

"Why don't you cut up the lettuce?" Marueen suggested, gesturing to the head of lettuce sitting in a strainer in the sink.

I grabbed it and took it over to the cuttingboard on the counter and Stacey handed me a long knife. "Here, don't cut off any of your fingers."

"Ha, funny." I stuck my tongue out at her but not before glancing quickly down at the scar on my finger that had come from almost doing exactly that a couple of years ago. It had been scary and painful. On the plus side, I had been excused from home ec for the rest of the semester.

I set to work on the lettuce while Stacey pulled out loaf of garlic bread and a container of mozzarella cheese and set up at the counter beside me. The three of us worked in silence for awhile, Marueen at the stove, stirring the sauce and measuring out the pasta, Stacey and I at the counter, occasionally bumping elbows as we worked. I realized as we stood side by side, that I was almost as tall as she was. I wondered when that had happened.

It wasn't long before dinner was ready. Stacey and I set the table while Marueen strained the pasta. We settled ourselves around the table and served ourselves. Once we had our food on our plates, Marueen started the conversation by asking Stacey how her day had been. I listened with interest as she talked about her exam and her commute home from the city. I learned that she was on a mid semester break. Her mid-term exams were finished even though there was still a couple of days left of exams before the semester resumed so she'd decided to make a trip home from the city for a couple of days.

She talked a bit about her classes and her professors and the friends she had made at school. I liked hearing about her life, even though it hurt just a little that I was no longer part of it.

To be fair though, our losing touch was just as much my fault as it was hers. She'd graduated high school and gone off to college. She was in a different city adjusting to a new life. She had new classes and a busy schedule. She wasn't always home when I called and it took gradually longer and longer to answer her emails.

Around the same time I'd graduated middle school and entered high school. My life got busy too. I joined the newspaper and the yearbook and the science club. I made new friends and developed new interests. My homework took up more time as well. I just didn't have as much time to email and call.

We'd gotten together a couple of times when she came home for a weekend but slowly we started missing each other when she visited. One weekend she was home I had plans with friends. The next she was home and I was out of town for my cousins wedding. Our schedules just didn't mesh and we saw each other less and less until finally contact just sort of petered out.

It wasn't something I dwelled on. Or was upset or angry about. When I thought of Stacey, I felt sad we hadn't kept in touch but I accepted that was just a part of life. I was just happy to know that she was happy.

That didn't mean it didn't hurt or that it wasn't awkward sitting here. I wondered if it was if it was equally as difficult for them. They didn't show it, outwardly but maybe they were just good at hiding things.

"So, Char, what have you been up to lately?" Stacey asked, interrupting my thoughts.

"Uh, not much. I'm still writing for the paper. And...I'm one of the photographers for the year book. That's pretty cool. I get into dances for free and I always have great seats for the basketball games and stuff like that."

I told them a bit about school and my classes and updated Stacey on some of the other kids she used to sit for and she told me the latest news on the former BSC and the goings on in New York. It was pleasant enough conversation but I hated that I was reduced to exchanging small talk with someone I had once loved dearly.

I was greatful when dinner was finished. After a quick cleanup I escaped to the guestroom, claiming homework as an excuse.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimers: I don't own them. I just like to play with them once in awhile.**

**Authors note:** Thanks for reading, guys. And I really appreciate your comments. They help me shape the next chapters.

I'm glad you're not finding the story too slow. I was worried about the pacing.

I'm truly sorry about the spelling mistakes. I do proofread but I have a tendency to mix up letters. When I look at a word, to me it looks like the letters are all in the right place, even when they're not. (ex, Marueen vs. Maureen. I truly thought the u was before the r every time I read that word)

Thanks again for reading guys. Here's chapter 3.

**Chapter 3**

I had been hiding out in the guest bedroom for nearly two hours, pretending to do my homework when a soft knock sounded. I glanced up towards the half open door to see Stacey leaning against the frame.

"Feel like watching a movie?" she asked.

"Sure," I answered after a moments hesitation. I'd come in here to avoid any more awkward interactions after all but it seemed rude to spend all my time holed up in here.

"Got a particular movie in mind?"

"Not really. But I'm sure we can find something. It's not like we don't have enough to chose from, right?"

The McGills have a massive movie collection, over 200 hundred at my last count and that was three years ago.

"That's true," I agreed with a grin.

"I've got popcorn on. Come out when you're ready."

I nodded. "Just let me pack up."

She dissapeared from the doorway as I rolled off the bed and began shoving my books into my backpack. By the time I made it out to the kitchen she had the pocorn divided into 2 bowls on the counter, one would have butter and one would be without. I watched her set the bowls on a tray along with a bag of chips and 2 glasses of soda. There was no way she had time to prepare this in the few minutes it took me to pack up my things.

"You look like you were pretty confident that I'd be free to watch a movie."

She turned to look at me. "Two hours for homework, Char. Really? When I was in grade 11 you used to do my homework in less time than that."

A blush heated my cheeks and I offered a sheepish smile.

"Is it really so awful, being here?" she asked softly.

I glanced up in surprise. Stacey was leaning against the counter, still facing me but she would not meet my eye.

"What? No." I took a step towards her then paused, not quite sure what to say. It's not that. It's just..." I searched for the words to describe how wonderful and awkward it was. "Weird." It was the best I could come up with.

Her gaze flickered up and met my eye for the briefest of moments. "Yeah," she said softly. "Sorry."

"Don't be. It's not your fault it's just..."

"Yeah," she said again., then offered me a half smile. "For what it's worth, I'm glad you're here."

"Yeah. Me too." And I was. I had been mad at my mother when she'd first presented the idea. She'd seemed so pleased with herself when she'd announced it the other day at dinner but all I could think was how could she and, what was she thinking? She didn't seem to remember that it had been years since I'd been close to Stacey. Or she had conveniently forgot. Either way, I'd been angry that she'd been so oblivious. But now, I was glad for her momentary lapse or whatever it had been.

"Any idea what you want to watch?" Stacey asked, ending the moment before it became uncomfortable.

"Not yet. I want to see what's new in your collection."

She nodded. "Go on in, take a look. I'll be in in a minute."

I headed into the living room to take a look at the selection. I'd pulled a few choices out of the cabinet beside the tv when Stacey came in with the tray,

"What about this one?" I asked, showing her once of the cases.

"One of my favourites," she said agreably. I nodded, not surprised that we still had similar tastes. I popped the dvd out of it's case and set up the movie then stood and glanced around, trying to decide where to sit. Stacey had already settled on the sofa, which had the best view of the tv. There was also an arm chair to the right of the couch and an old rocker tucked into the corner. Both were angled for a view of the screen and both were pretty comfortable but not as comfortable as the sofa. After a moments indecision I crossed the room and settled on the sofa next to Stacey. She pulled a blanket from the back of the couch and draped it over both of our legs and slumped down slightly, getting comfortable for the movie. I felt ridiculous all of a sudden. At nine I would have crawled into her lap without a second though, secure in knowing that I was welcome there. At 11 we would have cuddled up together, my head against her shoulder, our arms around each other. At 13, when I was too old for cuddling but still sort of wanted to do it anyway we would have sat close together, shoulder to shoulder, maybe holding hands. And now, here I was at 16 debating whether or not I should even sit next to her. Ridiculous. Yet here I was, sitting stiffly beside her, aware of her closeness and the distance between us. I shook my head, pushing away my silly thoughts and turned my attention towards the tv. It wasn't long before I lost myself in the movie.

***

"I love the ending of this movie," I said, an hour and 40 minutes later as the credits rolled up. "It's so romantic and.. are you crying?" I glanced over and spotted Stacey wiping at her eyes. Her hand froze, inches away from her face and for a moment I thought she was going to deny it and then she let out a little laugh.

"Yeah. There's just something about this movie that always gets to me. To be loved like that..."She trailed off with a shake of her head. "I'd give anything to have someone make me feel like that, y'know?"

I nodded. I did know. I've been out with guys before but none of them ever made me feel special, like I was the only girl they had eyes for. I was waiting for that.

"Have you ever been in love?"

Stacey was quiet for so long that I thought she wasn't going to answer me. When she did, her voice broke the quiet and startled me, almost makin

g me jump.

"I thought I was, a couple of times. But, I think I was more in love with the idea of the relationship than the actual person I was with. Does that make sense?"

"I'm not sure,"

"You know me, Char. I've always had a boyfriend, or a guy that I like. I'm always flirting and trying to attract their attention. I like the way having a guy who's interested in my makes me feel."

"Wanted. Appreciated. Attractive."

"Yeah. Partly. But, there's more to it than that. It's a nice feeling, being part of a couple. Having someone to share things with, laugh with. All that. But, as much as I loved being part of a couple, I don't think I've ever been in love. Not in that whole, truly, madly, deeply kind of way. I want that. One day."

"Mmm, me too. But until then, I'll settle for a good kisser with a hot body." I gave her a grin

"Charlotte Johansen!" Stacey exlaimed, bumping my shoulder with her own. "I can't believe just I heard those words come out of your mouth."

I couldn't quite believe it either. And the blush on my cheeks was evidence of that.

"So, do you have one of those at the moment?" she asked, laughing.

"One of what?" I asked, not quite following her question.

"A good kisser with a hot body," she prodded. "Do you have one?"

"No. I've dated a couple of boys but nothing really serious. Most of the boys at my school are so immature. It's all drinking and partying and hooking up. But that's kind of lame." As soon as I said that, I felt guilty. She had been into that scene a bit in high school. Not the drinking, because she couldn't but going out to parties or sneaking into the clubs and all of that.

I wondered if she'd ever hooked up with a guy at a party the way a lot of my friends had. The question of whether or not she had was on the tip of my tongue but I bit it off.

She smirked at me, and I knew she knew what I was thinking.

"So, do you have a boyfriend?" I asked.

"Are you sure you don't want to ask what you're really thinking?"

I did. And I didn't.

I started to ask, but couldn't. Even Becca and I hadn't had this conversation and she was my best friend. And I was pretty sure she'd hooked up with Travis Brant at his New Years Eve party.

On the other hand, this was Stacey.

"Have you ever been with a guy?" I asked.

She nodded.

"What's it like?"

"It's different every time. My first time was when I was 17. Do you remember Clayton Graves?" I vaguely remembered meeting him a couple of times when they were dating. "We went to prom together and he rented a hotel room. It was all very teen movie cliche but it was also very romantic and very special" I nodded, pleased to hear this. And a little surprised. As she'd already admitted, she'd always been a bit of flirt. Boy crazy, her friends used to call her. I sort of thought she would have done it sooner. But I was glad for her that she hadn't because I knew that while she loved the attention from guys and came across a certain way she was also a romantic.

"The second guy I was with, I'm not as proud of. It was freshman year and I met him at a party. A kegger. I was bummed because I'd just broken up with Clayton and I was missing my friends and home." She shrugged. "We danced. Talked a bit. He invited me back to his apartment and I agreed."

I couldn't imagine doing that. It just seemed so empty.

"It felt good at the time, but afterwords I just felt... One night stands just aren't for me."

"Are those the only two guys?"

"I've had a few other boyfriends"

We talked about guys for awhile longer, comparing her experiences with my lack thereof before moving on to other topics, frienships, family, movies, music. We stayed up until after midnight which was when, reluctantly I admitted that I was exhausted and needed to get to bed. She might be on break but I still had school the next day.

"Night, Char," She said as I untangled myself from the blanket and stood. Immediately I felt the loss of warmth of both the soft fleece covering and the closeness of her body from where we'd been slumped together.

"Night Stace."

She clasped my hand briefly for a moment and I squeezed back gently before heading off to get ready for bed.


	4. Chapter 4

I aplogize that this took as long as it did. I had it written and ready to go for awhile but my computer had other ideas.

Thanks to everyone who has been reading and commenting. I really appreciate the encouragment and the constructive comments. It makes writing this story much more fun. I hope that you continue to enjoy the story.

Sunny, I agree with you about their relationship. I've read a couple of really good Stacey/Charlotte slash stories but I'm more interested in their sister bond than I am in reading about them hooking up. Their relationship is unique and I can only hope to capture it properly.

Once again, thanks to all of you.

**Chapter 4**

I've never been able to sleep well the first night in a new place. Even if it's somewhere I've stayed before. So it was no surprise to me that I was awake around six, an hour and a half before I actually needed to be up for school. I wasn't the only one awake though. As I lay in bed, I could hear someone moving around downstairs.

After a quick shower I headed downstairs to see who else was up. Maureen was in the kitchen, dressed for work and drinking coffee at the table. The paper was spread out in front of her and her a briefcase lay at her elbow.

"Morning."

She glanced up. "Good morning, Charlotte. You're up early. I didn't wake you, did I?"

"No. I just couldn't sleep any longer."

She nodded in understanding.

"You're up pretty early too."

"I know. I have some work to do at the store. I figured if I went in early we could all go out for dinner or something tonight."

"That would be nice," I said as I poured myself some coffee. "What?" I asked when I turned and noticed Maureen giving me a raised eyebrow. It was the same look her daughter gave me.

"Nothing. It's just, well the last time you were here you were what, twelve, thirteen? I made you shaped pancakes. Now you're 16 and drinking coffee."

I glanced down at my mug and then back at Maureen and let out a small laugh as I remembered.

"Things change, I guess."

"That they do," she agreed. "Are you hungry?" she asked after a moment's pause. "I could make you some breakfast." I caught her quick glance at the clock as she asked me this.

"No, I'm fine. I'll have some cereal or something later."

"Are you sure?" she asked, looking both concerned and relieved. She reminded me of my mother when she was rushing out the door for work and trying to check up on me at the same time.

"I'm sure."

There was a moment of awkward silence as we glanced at each other across the kitchen.

"I hope you don't mind that I suggested this, but I've missed you."

It was strange hearing her say outright what Stacey and I had been dancing around all last night.

"I've missed you too." It felt just as strange to say it but it also felt right.

I took a seat across from her at the table and she pushed the paper aside. We talked while we drank our coffees. When we had finished she stood with a sigh.

"Off to work I guess. Need anything before I head out?"

"No, I'm fine."

"Okay. Have a good day, sweetie. I'll see you tonight."

I wished Maureen a good day and held her briefcase for her while she pulled on her jacket and shoes and then she was out the door. Once she was gone I took her seat at the table and paged through the paper. I'd made it through the first section and was starting on the comics when Stacey came shuffling in.

" Good Morning, Char," she sort of mumbled. I knew that even though she was up it would be awhile before she was awake.

"Morning. You're up early" I honestly hadn't expected to see her before I left today.

"I know," she fairly growled. "I had an eight o'clock class this semester and so now, even when I don't have to be up, I'm still awake."

"Mmm," I nodded sympathetically. "Want something to eat? I was just about to start making some breakfast."

"Sure. Thanks." Stacey sank into one of the chairs with a soft sigh. Biting back as smile I stood and crossed the room. I heard her pull the paper across the table towards herself and begin paging through it but I had a feeling she wasn't really reading it.

The kitchen was pretty quiet as I began pulling together breakfast for the two of us. I searched for something to say, anything. Last night we had talked so easily. It had been like no time had passed but now I couldn't think of anything to say.

Something had changed though. For one thing, the silence wasn't as uncomfortable as it had been last night. I felt more connected to her today than I had before. Not like I used to be, obviously but it was a start.

********

"Do you want a ride to school?" Stacey asked as we were finishing up breakfast.

"No, it's not far. I can walk."

"Are you sure? I mean, it's no trouble for me to drive you."

I glanced across the table at her, still clad in pajamas with bed head.

"I have to be at school in forty minutes."

"I can be ready in ten."

I must have given Stacey a look that matched the disbelief I felt because she laughed.

"Trust me, eight o'clock classes have really changed my perspective on what needs to be done before I leave the house."

"I'll believe it when I see it."

She gave me a grin and dissapeared upstairs.

Sure enough, ten minutes later she appeared in the kitchen doorway dressed in jeans and a blouse, her hair pulled back in a ponytail and her face free of makeup.

"Ta-da." She smirked at me as I stared at her in shock. Even as I was seeing it I still did no believe it.

"There have been mornings when I'd get out of bed and barely had time to pull a brush through my hair before heading to class."

"Really?"

"Yep. Early morning classes, everyone shows up in sweats. Or their pajamas."

"I would pay to see you go anywhere in your pajamas. Even if they are matching, five hundred dollar designer ones."

"I only wish I had that kind of money," she retorted. But the blush on her face told me my comment had been spot on. Maybe her pajamas weren't five hundred dollars but I'd bet they cost a whole lot more than the five dollar pair I'd bought at Wal-Mart.

"So, want that ride?"

"That would be great."

"Lovely. I don't get much chance to drive when I'm in the city. I miss it."

"Oh, so there is an ulterior motive to your generous offer. You don't really care about driving me to school, you just want an excuse to take out your car."

"Exactly. I'm glad we understand each other."

I rolled my eyes and headed upstairs to gather my things.

The ride to across town to the high school was short. I could have walked it in about five or ten minutes more but it was nice to be driven. We spent most of the ride arguing about the radio station. Our tastes in music is one of the few things we absolutely can not agree on.

"Want a ride home tonight?" Stacey asked as she pulled into the line of cars at the front of the school waiting to drop of kids. "Or do you have plans?"

I'd been planning on hanging out with Becca after school. We'd made the plans weeks ago, when I'd still been uncertain about how this weekend would go.

"Well, Becca and I were going to hang out." It would be nice to have a ride though. But I didn't want to cut into any plans she might have or make her think that I expected her to play chauffer all weekend. She had offered though. "But if you wanted to give us a ride over to her place..." I let the sentence trail off.

"I don't mind. It's not like I have any plans for today. Unless you count laundry."

"You're not doing anything?"

She shrugged. "Not really. I did the tour around town yesterday. It's not like that much changes around here. And none of my friends are home this weekend. I thought it would be nice to just relax and do nothing."

"Okay then. I guess I'll see you after school then."

I said my goodbyes and climbed out of the car. She gave a little wave and pulled out. A moment later Becca was at my side.

"So, how's it going?"

"It's weird being there. But, it's okay I guess." Becca nodded. Even though I hadn't exactly been the most articulate she understood. She was one of my oldest friends and one of the few who understood my relationship with Stacey. A lot of my other friends had thought it was annoying but not entirely unheard of to stay with an old family friend while my parents were out of town. They just didn't get the history that was between us.

"She said she'd give us a ride tonight."

"Really?"

"Yeah. If you want."

"It sure beats walking," Becca said agreably. "Besides, it would be nice to see her again."

"See who again?" Hayley asked, falling into step beside us.

"Stacey McGill. She's giving us a ride to my house tonight. Do you want to come?"

"Can't, I'm working. But, say hi to her for me."

Sometimes I forget that a few of my friends have their own relationship with Stacey, back from her baby sitting days. It was small and petty but there was a small part of me that was glad that none of them bonded with her (or any of the other members) the way I had. It wasn't something I was proud of but it was true. It wasn't something I would admit to either, which was why I simply agreed to pass along Hayley's greeting and let the conversation change course as we walked into the school.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

It's amazing the difference a day can make. Yesterday I was using my homework as a barrier between Stacey and myself. Today I raced through my assignments in study hall so that I wouldn't have to do any at night. Last night I dreaded the thought of two whole days at the McGill house without school or anything else to break up the time. Today, I looked forward to spending the weekend there. So much so that there was a small part of me that had wanted to cancel my plans with Becca just so I could spend some more time with Stacey. But the larger, more rational part of me realized that was dumb. And a little desperate. I wasn't one of those girls who ditched her friends whenever something new or more exciting came along.

Besides, Becca was the one who was still going to be here monday morning. No matter how much time Stacey and I spent together this weekend, no matter how well we got along or how great it was to see her again, she would be leaving for NYU when the weekend was over.

********

"Hey, Charlotte is everything okay?" I glanced up and saw Stacey peering over at me in concern. It was then that I realized that the movie we'd been watching was over. And that Maureen had left.

"Fine. Why?" I murmuered, feeling my face heat up in a blush. I was greatful for the fact that the room was dark, the only light coming from the tv. How long had we been sitting here in silence as the news played out mutely on the screen?

"Because you've been so quiet all night. You barely said two words since dinner."

"And that's so unlike me?"

"Smartass." I knew, even without being able to see her face clearly that this was said with a grin and a roll of her eyes. "Seriously, Char, what's up?"

It was on the tip of my tongue to tell her, to confide the thoughts that had been rolling around in my head all day but I knew what her response would be. She would swear that this time we'd try harder. That this time we would stay in touch. Maybe she would even mean it but we both knew how things liked this worked and I didn't want false promises.

"Nothing. Really," I insisted, know that she probably wouldn't believe me. "I'm just thinking."

"Anything you'd like to talk about?"

Again, I almost spilled everything to her but held my tongue. Why was it so tempting for me to just open up to her?

"No. It's nothing really."

I could tell that Stacey was trying to decide whether or not to push me any further and I waited anxiously, knowing that if she did, I probably would break down. I guess a part of me was still that 8 year old girl who believed that her favourite babysitter could fix everything.

"Okay," she said slowly and I knew that even though she had decided to drop the issue, she was still trying to figure me out. "Do you have plans for tomorrow, or do you want to do something?" she asked.

"I didn't have anything planned. But uh, you don't have to entertain me you know. I can find things to amuse myself."

There was a beat of silence. "I know I don't have to, Char. I want to. Why else would I have come home this weekend?"

"Uh, to see your mom?"

Stacey let out a laugh. "When did get sarcastic?"

I couldn't help but grin at that.

"I didn't have to come home this weekend, y'know. I could have stayed in the city and told my mom to say that I was busy or working or something but I wanted to come back and spend some time with you." She shrugged. "I know that sounds lame since we haven't even talked in what, a year? But..." she trailed off with another shrug.

"It's not lame."

"Sure it is. It's lame that I missed you and just didn't pick up the phone and call. Or send you an email. Or something."

"Why didn't you?" I asked.

"I don't know," she answered softly. "I guess after all that time had passed I just didn't know how."

"Yeah." I murrmured in agreement. I knew how she felt. I'd thought about calling her up or sending her an email a couple times over the last year or so but I just didn't know what to say or how to approach her so I never followed through.

It was strange, hearing Stacey echoing my feelings back to me. It had never really occured to me that she might be feeling the same things as I was. I guess I just assumed that she was so busy with her life at school that she didn't notice the things that had changed or were missing.

"Well, I'm glad you did come home this weekend," I said softly. "I've missed you too. And, I'd love to do something tomorrow."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Great." A pause. "Any idea what?"

"No. I thought you might have one. It was your suggestion after all."

Stacey yawned loudly. "I'll figure something out tomorrow," she said as she stood. "I'm beat. I had no idea doing nothing could be so tiring."

"You really didn't do anything today?"

"I really did. Or didn't?"

I shrugged. I had no idea what the proper way to answer that was.

"I did my laundry and caught up on my email and watched soap operas."

"Such a hard life, no wonder you're exhausted."

"Hush, you."

"Good night, Stace."

"Night Char, see you tomorrow."


	6. Chapter 6

Well, guys here's my next chapter. It wasn't the chapter I was intending to write but it sort of had a mind of it's own. I'm sorry it took so long but sometimes real life intervenes. It's fairly long though, so I hope that makes up for the amount of time it took me to post.

Thanks to everyone for their comments and encouragment. I really appreciate it.

story-geek

Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't know how to reply to that. It does sound sort of like a trick question.

Lady Eleanor Boleyn I certainly hope that you and your friend manage to stay friends. If it helps any, I'm still friends with most of the people I was friends with in high school. Even the ones who graduated before I did.

And I hope this chapter eases your mind a little because coincidently, it's about how relationships change after graduation.

Once again, thanks to everyone who has offered feedback on this story.

**Chapter 6**

Weekend mornings at the McGill house are quite different from the ones at mine. My mom is not one who enjoys being idle. Even though she doesn't have to be at work she's still up early and often times, out the door before I'm even awake. She'll run errands, go to flea markets, lunch with friends or find other ways to spend her time. When she stays home, she's still always doing something, gardening if it's nice or working on some project inside. My dad is pretty much the same way. He'll get up early and go into the office for a bit then come home and do yard work or paint the railings or something. His way of relaxing is hitting a bucket of balls at the golf course on a Sunday afternoon.

Stacey and Maureen are the type to sleep in then lounge around the house in their pajamas until noon. Weekends at their house are slow paced and relaxed. When I woke up at nine, the house was still and silent. Not wanting to disturb them, I grabbed a book and my ipod and climbed back in bed to read.

It was nearly ten when I heard someone head downstairs. Probably Stacey, going down to get something to eat. She couldn't be quite as lax about her schedule. My thoughts were confirmed when a couple minutes later she appeared in my doorway holding a glass of juice and a muffin.

"Morning Charlotte. You been up long?"

"No. About an hour."

"You didn't have to stay in here you know, you could have gotten up."

"I know. I was just reading." I held my book up for her to see.

Stacey nodded. "Oh, hey, that reminds me, I have a couple of books for you."

"Books?"

"Yeah. My old roomate gave them to me. She was a bookworm like you. I thought you might like them so I brought them home with me. Come on in and take a look."

I put my book aside and followed Stacey down the hall to her room. It hadn't changed much in the intervening years. The paint was fresher and the clothes strewn around the room were different. And there were a few new pictures on the wall, ones of an older, grown up Stacey and her friends mixed in with the familiar ones of her in middle and high school but the room still looked the same.

I settled on the edge of her bed as she pulled open her closet and began rooting around in the bottom. A moment later she unearthed a canvas shopping bag. She dropped it with a thump on the bed beside me then settled at her desk with her breakfast.

"Take your pick."

I didn't need any further invitation and without ceremony I dumped the bag out onto her bed and began sorting through them. There was quite the assortment, a couple of classics, two crime novels, a romance, some chick-lit and a couple of biographies. The bag must have weighed a ton, and still she had lugged them all the way here from New York for me. I was touched.

"Have you read any of these?"

"One or two of them. I don't get much chance to read for pleasure, y'know. Most of the reading I do is text books and case studies. By the time I'm done the last thing I feel like doing is picking up a book."

I understood that. I'm an avid reader but with the amount of time I spend studying and doing homework I don't have nearly as much time for reading as I'd like. Some days my eyes are just swimming with text and I can't bear to read anything when I get home.

"I thought of something we could do today," Stacey said, around a mouthful of muffin.

"Oh, yeah?" I glanced up from the review on the back of one of the books.

"SMS is having its Spring Carnival. I thought we could wander around there for awhile. Then maybe go grab some dinner?"

The Spring Carnival was a fundraiser the middle school did every year. They set up booths in the school yard for games like ring toss, and darts. They did face painting and fortune telling and balloon animals. There were pony rides and a bounce house for the little kids and inside, in the gymnasium they had craft tables and a bake sale. The money went to trips and activities for the kids during the year.

"Unless that's lame," she continued with a shrug. "I haven't been home for it in years. If you don't want to go-"

"No. It sounds like fun. We should go." She stared at me in silence, obviously not believing me. "Really. I go every year. Seriously," I added as she raised her eyebrows at me. "Last year I went with Becca and Jessi."

"That so?"

"Yep."

"Okay, so we'll go to the carnival then," Stacey said, looking pleased that I had agreed to her suggestion.

"Are you and Jessi still friends?" I asked the question before I'd even been aware that I was going to. But it was something I had been wondering about. I knew how our relationship had fared the long distance but I had no idea about any of her other friendships.

She gave a half shrug. "Not the way we were, but we keep in touch."

"What's that mean?"

"Well, let see, the last time I saw Jessi was about hmm, eight months ago when she was in New York for a performance. We went out for coffee after. The last time I spoke to her was maybe three months ago."

I stared at her, not quite believing what I was hearing. "That's what you call friendship?"

"Things change as you grow up Char. Your friends move to different cities and you lead seperate lives."

"And you're okay with that?"

"No, it sucks. But it's not something I can change. You'll see. You'll be off to college in a couple years and your life will be different. You'll make new friends and your frienships with people like Becca and Hayley will change."

"Becca and Hayeley and I will always be friends."

"I'm not saying you won't be, Charlotte. I'm just saying that it will be different. You'll have to rely on email and phone calls to keep in touch. And you won't see each other as often." She leaned forward in the desk chair, resting her elbows on her knees. "You know, I still consider Claudia my best friend but I only see her about once a month. I talk to her answering machine more than I talk to her."

I couldn't imagine living like that and I said as much.

"It's not as bad as it sounds."

I wasn't sure if I believed her.

"Because I don't get to see Claud or the others very often it's so much more special when we do get to see each other."

That didn't sound quite so bad. "Really?"

"Really. I think the distance between us helps us not take each other for granted." She was quiet for a moment, gathering her thoughts. "Take us for example. The last time you stayed over here you were what, twelve, thirteen?"

I nodded, not quite sure where this was going.

"Right. You came over on a Friday night and we did dinner and a movie. Saturday morning Mom made breakfast and we hung out for a bit. Then I don't think I saw you again until Sunday night. You spent most of the weekend with your friends and I spent it with mine."

"I don't remember that," I said, wondering why I didn't. It didn't seem right to me that I would come spend a weekend here and then spend hardly any time with Stacey.

"It happened more and more often as we both got older," she informed me gently. "We saw each other all the time. Neither one of us thought anything of making other plans. We took each other for granted. Now, compare that to this weekend."

I could see her point. This weekend was turning out to be a very special weekend for me. It had been so long since I'd seen Stacey that I was cherishing every moment I got to spend with her. And I was having a good time getting to know her again. We'd had some really great conversations over the last two days and I felt like our friendship was being reaffirmed.

"So, any of these books strike your interest?" she asked, as she rose from her desk chair and flopped down onto the bed next to me, changing the subject without fanfare. She always seemed to know when to do that, when to push me to keep talking and when to give me space to sort things out in my head. She'd given me a lot to think about today, and I would. At some point soon I would sit down and process the conversation and the implications it had for not only our relationship but for my other friendships as well. But not right now. Right now I was going to put it aside and simply enjoy being in the moment.

"A couple of them," I replied, picking up the ones that I thought looked interesting and set aside.

"Oh yeah, this is a good one." She gestured to the book on the top of the pile. "And I think you'll definately like that one."

"Any others you recommend?"

"Hmmm..how about...this one." She pulled a book out from beneath one of the piles, sending the rest of them toppling over the edge of the bed with a series of thuds.

We both froze, waiting to see if the noise had woken Maureen up. The house remained quiet and we both let out a sigh of relief. Maureen had been working really hard at the store lately, early mornings and late nights meant she had to be pretty tired. She deserved her rest.

"Hey, want to go over to the bakery on Glendale and pick up some pastries and stuff for breakfast? I bet we'd get back around the same time you're mom wakes up."

"Sounds like a great idea. You really are a sweetheart, Charlotte Johanssen," she said, giving me a smacking kiss on the forehead and then rolling off the bed.


	7. Chapter 7

Thanks for your comments guys. I really appreciate them. Also I'm glad that the characters are relatable and that I've answered some questions on what things are like post-grad.

Lady Eleanor Boleyn , it's hard sometimes keeping a long distance friendship going but it's worth it. I hope it works out for you and your friend.

xSceneCouturex I'm glad I could shed some light on things for you. I'm almost 10 years out of high school and I'm still in touch with most of the people that I was close with in high school.

DamNDomsMommy Thanks.

Jane Poirot I'm like that too. I never have as much time for reading as I'd like.

Special Agent Stace Thanks. I'm not sure about the drama. I've mapped the story out in my head and I'm not sure how it would fit into the plot but I'll keep in in mind. And thanks for the spelling correction. There's always one or two words that I just can't seem to spell right.

Thanks again, everyone for your comments.

**Chapter 7**

Maureen declined our invitation to go to the carnival with us, apparently she already had plans to go to lunch with some friends. I was ashamed to realize that I was glad. As much as I liked spending time with Maureen I really wanted this time for just Stacey and myself. I only had today and tomorrow with Stacey and I wanted to cram in as much quality time with her while I could.

We headed out for the carnival around one, easily walking the few blocks from the house to the school.

"It looks so much smaller than I remember," Stacey commented as we cleared the gate and entered the school yard. I glanced over at her as she stared up at the school building then let my gaze follow hers.

The building did look smaller.

"I was so afraid to come here," I admitted, laughing at the memory. "The kids seemed so much bigger than me. And The school seemed huge. I was afraid I'd never find my way around. I think it took about a week."

Stacey laughed. "I remember feeling the same way. My old school in New York was much bigger but I'd been there since kindergarten. This place was new and different. Even though I didn't want to be at my old school anymore my first day here was just a little bit terrifying."

"High school was the same way," I added, remembering how nervous I'd been in the eight grade about switching schools once again.

She nodded. "So was college."

"Oh, goody, something to look forward to."

"You'll do fine," she assured me.

I hoped so.

"Have you given any thought to where you want to go?"

"Not really." I knew there were a lot of great schools out there but I hadn't given much thought to which ones I was going to apply to yet. I didn't want to brag or anything but I knew that with my grades I would be able to get into pretty much any school that I wanted.

"Well, you know, NYU is a great school," she said, giving my shoulder a bump.

I laughed. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Good," she said as she linked her arm through mine and guided me up the path across the school yard towards where the activity was centered. "I think you'd really like the city. And, it would be cool having you so close."

I glanced over at her and she flashed me a grin. I couldn't help but offer a happy smile in return. I wonder if she knew that NYU had just made it to the top of the list of schools I might attend.

It was fun, exploring the carnival with Stacey. We played ring toss and horsehoes and tossed darts at balloons trying to pop them for a prize. I won a stuffed monkey at the horseshoes and Stacey got a pig keychain for knocking a couple of milkjugs from the pile. We even convinced the guy running the bounce house to let us jump around for a few minutes. We entered our names in a couple of draws at the penny table then headed inside to look at the arts and crafts in the gym.

We wandered from booth to booth looking at crafts and jewelry and artwork. Most of it was done by local artists who had come out to support the school. I bought myself a pair of silver teardrop earrings and my mother a blown glass vase. Stacey bought a woven belt in shades of red and brown and a couple of silver bracelets.

She kept waffling back and forth on a rope necklace with a star shaped stone charm while we headed outside to the food section and perused it, looking for something that she could eat.

"It's a little pricey," she said, eyeing the grilled corn on the cob and vegetable skeweres.

"But if you don't get it, you'll wish you had," I finished, knowing that's what she was thinking.

She nodded. "Exaclty. But if I do buy it, I'll probably feel guilty that I spent the money on it. Especially after buying the other stuff."

We continued down the line, reading the list of prices for the hamburgers and sausages.

"Of course, if you give the bracelets to your mom as a gift, then you wouldn't have spent all that money on yourself." I enjoyed the frustrated groan and the glare that she gave me.

"You're supposed to be talking me out of spending my grocery money on jewelery, not encouraging me."

The next table was an assortment of pastries and baked goods which we lingered at for a moment before Stacey tugged my arm and we headed back to the grills.

"But, you're going to have to buy your mom a birthday present anyway right? So it's not like you're spending money you wouldn't have otherwise spend."

"True."

She settled on a hamburger, plain and a diet coke while I got a hot dog with everything and a cream soda. We found an empty picnic table and the debate was forgotten for a few moments as we ate. By the time we had finished she had still not decided so we headed back inside so she could take another look at it.

Ten minutes later she had decided to buy it. Which I had known she would. She tucked the bag into her jacket pocket as we headed back towards her place. It was a little early for dinner still and getting chilly as the sun went down so we decided to go warm up for a bit and then decide where to go for dinner.

"I had a great time today," Stacey said as we walked briskly up the block, our hands stuffed in our pockets to keep and our chins tucked into the collars of our jackets to keep warm.

"Yeah. It was fun."

"It reminds me a bit of this big outdoor market that they hold once the weather gets warm. There's all sorts of crafts and jewelry and music and foods from all over the world. You'd love it."

It did sound pretty amazing.

"You'll have to come up and check it out sometime."

I glanced over at her. "Really?"

"Uh-huh. Your parents would let you, right? They know I wouldn't let you get into trouble or anything."

If it were anyone but Stacey asking my answer would have been no. There was no way my parents would let me to go New York by myself but it was Stacey and my parents adored her.

"Yeah, I think they'd let me."

"Cool. I'll let you know when it starts."

I tucked my face further into the collar of my jacket to hide my wide, happy grin and kept pace with Stacey even though what I wanted to do was let out a whoop of excitement and do a kartwheel or something.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note:** I am really, truly sorry for how long it has taken me to add this chapter. First there was writers block, then computer problems and then more writers block. And after some time away from a story, it's hard to get back into the flow of it but I didn't want to leave this story without some kind of ending. I hope that it is satisfactory to all of you who stuck with me through each chapter. I thank all of you for your patience and your encouragment. You're kind reviews of each chapter mean the world to me. As any writer will tell you, there's nothing better than knowing people are reading and enjoying your story.

Again, many thanks.

Samantha.

Chapter 8

On Thursday it had felt like the weekend couldn't be over soon enough. And now it was Sunday and it felt like it had been not nearly long enough. Their late, lazy morning had extended into a long, leisurely afternoon. But even as Charlotte savoured every moment of the day, from the brunch they'd lingered over for almost two hours to the aimless walk she and Stacey had taken around the neighbourhood it was a bitterseet enjoyment. Because she knew that time was slowly marching forward towards the end of the day when Stacey would have to get on a train and go back to New York. Back to her life, once again leaving Charlotte behind. And then what would become of them? Charlotte was hopeful but not naive enough to believe that they would simply continue on as they had been. This weekend, as wonderful as it had been, hadn't been entirely real. It had exsisted in a bubble, outside of their regular lives. What would happen when they resumed?

Mostly Charlotte was glad she'd had the chance to see Stacey again. To get an update on her life and see that she was happy and well. But there was a part of her that couldn't help but feel like it would have been better if they had never reuninted. She wouldn't be hurting this much right now if they hadn't.

She wanted reassurances, promises that this time would be different. That they'd stay in touch. She wanted that but she also knew that she wouldn't believe them if she got them. There was no way of knowing how this was going to work out. And she hated the not knowing.

She wished, for a moment at least, that she were eight years old again and could climb into Stacey's lap and tell her not to go because she'd miss her too much. But she wasn't eight she was sixteen, which was why instead of doing what she sort of wanted she was lying on Stacey's bed watching her pack and not saying much of anything.

Downstairs, Maureen was preparing dinner, one of Stacey's favourites as a send off for her daughter. Charlotte could hear the faint clatter of pots and pans and rustle of movements as she worked.

She caught Stacey glancing at her every so often, as if about to say something but she never did. Instead she packed quickly and silently then carried her suitcases and shoulder bag downstairs. When she returned, she lay down on the bed beside Charlotte. With the bags out of sight, and the reminder that she would be leaving soon able to be momentarily forgotten some of the tension in the room lifted and they chatted about anything and everything. But it was a little bit awkward. A little forced.

Dinner was a fairly somber affair. Maureen seemed to be struck with the same melonchy that was affecting Charlotte and Stacey. After dinner they lingered over dessert and coffee until finally it could not be put off any longer and Maureen announced it was time to get going.

All to soon they were at the station and Charlotte was hugging Stacey goodbye, clinging to her like if she held on hard enough, she wouldn't have to go and hoping that everything she was thinking but couldn't put into words was conveyed.

"I'll talk to you soon," Stacey promised, and brushed a kiss against her cheek. And then she was gone.

There was an email waiting in Charlotte's inbox when she got home from school on Monday. She answered it before getting started on her homework and tried not to think too much about when she would get a response. When she got home on Tuesday and found a reply she tried not to get excited. Just because they were emailing each other now, didn't mean it was going to last.

When a month had gone by and they were still sending messages back and forth and even talking on the phone a couple times a week, she let herself feel hopeful, but cautiously so.

When Stacey called her to get together each and every weekend she visited over the course of the next two months, Charlotte felt some of the caution draining away. But it wasn't until about six months and two trips into the city later when she finally let herself believe that their friendship wasn't temporary this time but that it was real and would continue.

**A/N**

That's about as close to and they lived happily ever after that I can get without actually using those words.

Thanks again for reading. I hope you enjoyed the story as much as I enjoyed writing it for you.

Please, let me know what you thought of my final chapter here or back at


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